West Coast cuisine, surfing optional

An interview with Tofino-based chef Lisa Ahier about her first book, The SoBo Cookbook (with Andrew Morrison, Appetite by Random House, 2014). Ahier also shares two recipes from the book, SoBo Ceviche and Surfer Noodle Soup

Laura Brehaut/Postmedia NewsOriginally published on August 5, 2014; canada.com

Tofino is a special place. From its Clayoquot Sound environs, to stunning Chesterman Beach and the West Coast Trail in Pacific Rim National Park, it’s a spectacular place to visit and fewer than 2,000 people are lucky enough to call it home. Chef Lisa Ahier, a Texan who studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City, moved to Tofino and started the SoBo (short for Sophisticated Bohemian) food truck in 2003 with her husband Artie. The truck was located in a parking lot behind a surf shop, and the Surfer Noodle Soup was initially served in takeout coffee cups to shivering year-round surfers.